Dnyanesh is a PhD candidate in theoretical physics. His research concerns mathematical aspects of string theory, wherein he is investigating number-theoretic properties -- broadly termed “modularity” -- of Calabi-Yau compactifications (a geometric construction used to reduce the higher dimensional physics of string theory to 4 spacetime dimensions).

Dnyanesh grew up in India and pursued undergraduate studies at University of Cincinnati, graduating Distinguished Honors Scholar with a double-major in physics and mathematics. Outside of academic work, he has been keenly involved in education-focused community service activities. Throughout college, he volunteered to teach at local public schools serving low-income families and suffering from high dropout rates. During graduate studies at Cornell, he has been a student organization leader, helping raise funds to support education initiatives for underprivileged communities in India.

In his free time, Dnyanesh enjoys hiking, reading, cooking, and back-of-the-envelope calculations. He is also obsessed with the science and art of brewing espresso, and enjoys sharing his coffee experiments.